"I'm sorry, Mother, Father…"
Andrei murmured as he stood before the graves of his parents in the bustling cemetery. His face bore the weight of a bitter irony, knowing that he had once again fallen short of fulfilling his deceased parents' expectations.
He had made them a promise, one that echoed through his mind as he stared at the worn headstones. He had vowed to lift their family out of poverty and to support his beloved sister financially and help her graduate from college. Yet, he found himself trapped in a never-ending cycle of minimum-wage jobs despite his impressive qualifications. Such was life in the unforgiving country of P.
Slowly, he turned away from the grave, his thoughts were consumed by the guilt of his unfulfilled promise. As he exited the cemetery, the weight of the world seemed to press down on him, his steps weighed down by guilt.
However, as soon as he stepped beyond the cemetery gates, he couldn't help but notice something abnormal. He was utterly alone in what seemed a bustling cemetery earlier, which was unusual; as there were many people besides him earlier.
Perplexed by the sudden emptiness, Andrei's attention was drawn to an ear-splitting noise that erupted directly above him. He instinctively covered his ears, wincing in pain, and looked up to discover the source of the disturbance.
Reacting on instinct, Andrei reached out and managed to catch the notebook just in time. He barely had a moment to ponder the strange object when a combination of car horns and angry shouts jolted him back to reality.
Turning around, he was greeted by a traffic jam of disgruntled drivers stuck behind a bright red Honda Civic. Frustrated voices berated him.
"Move! Can't you see that there's a long line behind you?"
He turned his head around, only to see that there were people in his vicinity.
"What the f-"
Andrei's confusion turned into a string of muttered curses, as the red Honda Civic suddenly accelerated towards him, with intentions of crashing towards him. He barely managed to leap aside as the impatient Honda Civic maneuvered around him, its driver unapologetic.
The car's window rolled down as it passed him, as a burly and tall man appeared within his view.
"This is what you get for blocking the entrance."
The man declared before speeding away, leaving Andrei behind, along with the disgruntled line of people he had inadvertently annoyed. The people seemed to give him death glances as they passed him.
"I'm sorry…"
Andrei murmured. He looked towards the sky, only to see that there was no crack in the sky.
"Was I hallucinating?" he wondered aloud, puzzlement etched into his features.
Andrei looked towards his surroundings, only to see the black notebook near his landing place. He quickly carried the notebook away and scurried off as he also felt embarrassed by the gazes of the people passing by him.
Andrei's thoughts swirled with the extraordinary events of the day. He made his way back home, which was conveniently located within walking distance away from the cemetery.
He called out to his sister as he entered. "Ashley, have you cleaned the plates?"
No response…
With a heavy sigh, Andrei retired to his room, bewildered by the strange events of the day. He looked towards the mirror in his bedroom, he was 1.87m, black-haired with black eyes, and an average face with a lean build. He was quite average, however, there was a peculiar aura on him that seemed quite charming.
He took out the black ordinary notebook, and decided to inspect it more closely. It appeared to be an ordinary notebook. However, he didn't notice that when he jumped earlier, he was scratched and a droplet of blood fell into the notebook.
The moment his blood touched the notebook, it began to emit a brilliant golden glow. As Andrei stared in awe, the notebook seemed to swallow him whole.
Pitch black.
When Andrei opened his eyes again, he was greeted by an inky darkness that engulfed him completely. It was as if he had been plunged into a void with no hint of light.
Uncharacteristically, panic welled up within him, but he fought to stay calm, a skill he had honed in the face of extraordinary circumstances.
Knowledge began flooding his brain, and he finally got a hang of what was happening. His calmness evaporated as it was quickly replaced with shock.
"Notebook of Creation…?"
The Notebook of Creation was a primordial artifact from a high-dimensional world that had somehow found its way into the low-dimensional realm in which Andrei resided. As the name suggested, the notebook granted its owner the power to create - be it magic, beings, animals, or even entire universes. However, it was bound by ten locks, and Andrei had only unlocked the first, allowing him to create a world. He now had the freedom to shape his own destiny, but he would have to start from scratch.
Andrei was left in awe and disbelief, suspended in the depths of the black void, as he contemplated the boundless possibilities that now lay before him.
[Light]
The chaotic darkness suddenly burst into a brilliant white light, and a round of the sun appeared in the chaotic darkness, illuminating the whole world instantly.
[Star, Water, Land, Air, Gravity]
In the vast tapestry of the cosmos, a celestial anomaly unfolded. A colossal world, ten times the magnitude of Earth, materialized suddenly, a radiant orb awash in cerulean hues. It glistened like a cosmic sapphire, cradling within its expanse a monumental landmass, tranquil and unmoving as though caught in an eternal slumber.
[Space and Time]
Then, like the meticulous workings of an otherworldly clock, the newfound planet set itself into graceful motion, a silent ballet in the celestial theater. The radiant sun cast its luminous embrace upon the aqueous sphere, and the world began to awaken. With resemblance to Earth, it displayed all the hallmarks of a thriving ecosystem, replete with mountains, forests, and oceans, yet there was an eerie hollowness to it, as if it were a masterpiece bereft of an audience.
[Life]
Suddenly, as if obeying some unseen maestro, life erupted from the depths of the vast ocean. Bacteria, algae, and an array of microscopic organisms bloomed in a dazzling display of vitality, painting the waters with vibrant hues. The planet pulsated with newfound energy, a semblance of life dancing through the seas, hinting at an awakening yet to come.
Andrei stood at the precipice of this uncharted realm, gazing at the colossal landmass amidst the oceanic expanse, and spoke with a reverent tone, "You shall bear the name of Pangea, a homage to my beloved planet Earth."
With his proclamation, the world seemed to shimmer with anticipation, but just as suddenly as the transformation began, Andrei felt an overwhelming dizziness, and his world plunged into obscurity.
When he finally roused from his unconscious state, he found himself sprawled on the floor of his room, clutching the black notebook. He glanced at the clock; it was 3:18 PM. He went inside what he called the Creation Space for what seemed like ages, yet not even a sliver of a second has passed in reality.
An insatiable hunger gnawed at his stomach. The notebook's extraordinary abilities seemed to have exacted a physical toll on him, leaving him ravenous. He went to the nearest Karinderya and got a quick bite. Looking at the stacked dishes in his table, he let out a satisfied burp before going back to his house.
He went back to this room and quickly opened the black notebook that was quietly lying on his desk.
Andrei opened the notebook out of curiosity, only to see that there were words written on the first page of the notebook.
Genesis: As the divine hand stirred the boundless chaos, a cosmic whisper reverberated through the void. With a mere thought, the God of Creation conjured forth the essence of Light from the very fabric of nothingness, and thus, He commenced the grand design of our world. The very elements, woven by the tapestry of existence, bowed to His omnipotent will, and the universe awoke from its slumber in a symphony of enigmatic creation. In the hallowed act of cosmic craftsmanship, He breathed life into a continent that He named Pangea, a birthplace veiled in the secrets of existence's dawn.
As Andrei sat in his room, the Notebook of Creation resting on his desk, he couldn't help but sigh, overwhelmed by the marvel of the artifact he held. It was as though the cosmos had gifted him the power to shape reality itself.
Andrei's mind raced, an intriguing thought taking root. What if he could harness this extraordinary power to accomplish what he had longed for since he could remember? The possibility of reviving his deceased parents or providing support to his beloved sister ignited a fire within him. The Notebook held the potential to turn his deepest dreams into tangible, living realities.